‘A certain Gentleman who liv’d at _Hackney_, and had been a Collector of the late Queen’s Duties, but cheated her of several thousands of Pounds, goes home, and pretends himself sick. Upon this he keeps his Bed, and, after a Fortnight’s pretended Illness, it was given out that he was Dead. Great preparations were then made for his Funeral. His Coffin, which was filled with Bricks and Saw-Dust, was covered with black Velvet, and his Wife, and Six Sons and Daughters, all in deep Mourning, follow’d it to the Grave, which was made in St. _John’s_ Church, at _Hackney_. This sham Funeral was so well carried on, that all the People of the Town would have sworn the Collector was really Dead. About a Week after his supposed Interment, _Jacob Broad_ had an Action of one hundred and fifty Pounds against him. He went to _Hackney_ to serve the Writ, but, enquiring after the Person he was to arrest, and being told that he was dead and buried, he return’d home again.
‘About Seven Years afterwards, the Creditor being certainly inform’d that the Collector was alive and well in his own House, he employed _Jacob_ again to arrest him, and accordingly he and another went to execute the Writ. _Jacob_ planted himself in an Alehouse adjacent to the long-supposed Deceased’s Habitation, and, while his Aid-de-Camp, or Follower, was doing something else, he told a Woman, coming by with a great Load of Turnips on her Head, that the People of such a House wanted some, which was the House where the Seven Years dead Man dwelt. She went forthwith and knockt at the Door, which was open’d to let her in, and the Follower, who was close at her Heels, rush’d in after her, and ran into a Back Parlour, where he saw the Person (according to the Description of him) whom he wanted sitting by the Fire Side. It happening then to be a festival Day, for the Entertainment of the Collector’s Children, and Grand Children, the Table was spread with Variety of Dainties; the Follower leapt over the Table, overthrowing the Viands on it, and laying hold of the Prisoner, all their Mirth was spoilt at once. In the mean Time came _Jacob Broad_, and, taking out the supposed dead Man, he seem’d to be overjoy’d at his Resurrection from a Seven Years’ Confinement and for tasting the fresh Air. _Jacob_ brings him to _London_, whence he remov’d himself by a Writ of _Habeas Corpus_ to the King’s Bench Prison in _Southwark_, where he died again in a Week’s time, for he was never heard of till he was seen about Three Years after in _Denmark_.